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Empowering the People's Truth Through Social Media? (De)Legitimizing Truth Claims of Populist Politicians and Citizens
[Zeitschriftenartikel]
Abstract Right-wing populists have allegedly fueled increasing levels of distrust regarding expert knowledge and empirical evidence. Yet, we know little about how right-wing populist politicians and citizens use social media to construct and oppose truth claims. Using a qualitative analysis of Twitter and Fa... mehr
Right-wing populists have allegedly fueled increasing levels of distrust regarding expert knowledge and empirical evidence. Yet, we know little about how right-wing populist politicians and citizens use social media to construct and oppose truth claims. Using a qualitative analysis of Twitter and Facebook posts communicated by right-wing populists and citizens supporting populist ideas in the Netherlands, this article offers in-depth insights into processes of legitimization (confirming truth claims) and de-legitimization (opposing truth claims). The main conclusion is that right-wing populists and citizens supporting populism do not share a universal way of referring to reality. They use social media to communicate a confirmation-biased reality: Expert knowledge and evidence are de-contextualized or reinterpreted and aligned with right-wing populist agendas. References to the people’s experiences and worldviews, conspiracy theories and crisis sentiments are used to legitimize people’s opposition to expert knowledge and empirical evidence. Based on these findings, we coin the idea of an "adaptable construction of confirmation-biased truth claims" central in right-wing populist interpretations of reality. In times of increasing attacks on expert knowledge and empirical evidence, populist discourse may fuel an antagonism between the ordinary people’s experiences and the truth claims of established media channels and politicians in government. Social media offer a platform to members of the public to engage in discussions about (un)truthfulness, perceived deception, and populist oppositions - potentially amplifying divides between the ordinary people’s experiences and expert sources.... weniger
Thesaurusschlagwörter
Falschmeldung; politische Rechte; Desinformation; Meinungsbildung; Twitter; Populismus; Soziale Medien; Facebook
Klassifikation
politische Willensbildung, politische Soziologie, politische Kultur
interaktive, elektronische Medien
Freie Schlagwörter
fake news; misinformation; right-wing populism; truthfulness
Sprache Dokument
Englisch
Publikationsjahr
2022
Seitenangabe
S. 210-219
Zeitschriftentitel
Politics and Governance, 10 (2022) 1
Heftthema
Analyzing Citizen Engagement with European Politics Through Social Media
ISSN
2183-2463
Status
Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)